Picture tube mounting means

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for mounting a cathode-ray tube in an apertured cabinet includes a plurality of support members circumferentially spaced about the cathode-ray tube and affixed to the cabinet in the vicinity of the aperture therein, a wire strand with end portions engaged to form a wire loop, and engagement means for effecting pressure engagement of the wire loop and the cathoderay tube and support members.

' United States Patent St. George et al.

[54] PICTURE TUBE MOUNTING MEANS [72] inventors: Alfonso St. George, Depew; Floyd John Wlnkler, Buffalo, both of NY. [73 Assignee: Sylvnnl: mm Products Inc. 22 Filed: Mar. 9, 1910 [21] Appl. No.2 17,800

us. a ..17s/7.a1, l78/7.8 ....nou 29/02, am j 29/86 FieldolSearch, ..l78/7.8, 7.82, 7.9, 7.81;

[56] Relerenees cm I UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,757,889 8/1956 Cady ..l78/7.8X 3,398,238 8/1968 Siebold ..l78/7.8

[451 Feb. 15, 1972 9/1958 Wayne l 78/7.8 3,404,228 Ill/1968 McLeod, Jr. et al.... l 78/7.8 2,565,327 8/l95l Shaw l 78/7.8 3,576,395 4/l97l Arrington et al. l 78/7.82

Primary Examiner-Robert L. Richardson Assistant Examiner-Richard K. Eckert, .lr. Attorney-Norman J. OMalley, Robert E. Walrath and Thomas H.Buffton [57] ABSTRACT Apparatus for mounting a cathode-ray tube in -an apertured cabinet includes a plurality of support members circumferentially spaced about the cathode-ray tube and aflixed to the cabinet in the vicinity of the aperture therein, a wire strand with end portions engaged to form a wire loop, and engagement rneans for efi'ecting pressure engagement of the wire loop and the cathode-ray tube and support members.

1 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PAIENIEBFEB 15 1912 INVENTORS ALFONSC ST. GEORGE &

FLOYD JOHN WINKLER ATTORNEY PICTURE TUBE MOUNTING MEANS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION derstood that such careful design considerations are of. paramount importance. 1 Also, color cathode-ray tubes employed in television receivers include a funnel portion wherein the glass of the funnel in combination with an inner and outer layer of conductive material serve as a capacitor. A conductive coating, Aquadag for example, is affixed to the outer surface of the funnel and the apparatus for mounting the cathode-ray tube usually contacts and couples the conductive coating to a potential reference level such as circuit ground.

Presently, one of the most common techniques for affixing a cathode-ray tube to the cabinet of a television receiver includes the formation of a wire loop with each end of the wire loop formed to provide an end loop. An adjustable bolt couples both of the end loops of the wire loop and the wire loop is engaged by a plurality of spaced support members affixed to the cabinet. Tightening the adjustable bolt causes pressure engagement of the wire loop with the conductive coating on the surface of the funnel of the cathode-ray tube and with the support members whereby the cathode ray tube is held in position.

Although the above-described technique has been widely employed by television receiver manufacturers, it has been found that it does leave something to be desired. For instance, a cathode-ray tube mounting assembly employing an end loop at each end of a wire loop requires relatively heavy wire to prevent excessive bending of the end loops when tightened to exert pressure on the cathode-ray tube. Obviously, heavy wire is more expensive than light wire and also requires increased force to achieve a desired configuration and pressure.

Further, cathode-ray tube mounting assemblies having an end loop at each end of the wire loop require welding or some similar technique for achieving the formation of the end loop. Obviously, such fastening techniques are costly of time and materials and in combination with the cost in materials and time for bolting the end loops together are deleterious to the cost of manufacturing television receivers. OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide enhanced cathode-ray tube support apparatus. Another object of the invention is to provide improved cathode-ray tube support apparatus at a reduced cost. A further object of the invention is to enhance the installation of a cathode-ray tube within an apertured cabinet.

These and other objects and advantages are achieved in one aspect of the invention by cathode-ray tube support apparatus including a plurality of circumferentially spaced support members affixed to a cabinet, a cathode-ray tube having a funnel portion with a layer of conductive material thereon, a wire strand having end portions engaged with one another, and adjustable engagement means coupling the wire strand to at least one support member to effect exertion of pressure on said conductive coating of said cathode-ray tube and said support members by said wire strand.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art form of cathode-ray tube sup-' bilities thereof, reference is made to the accompanying drawings in connection with the following disclosure and ap pended claims.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, the prior an embodiment of FIG. 1 includes an apertured cabinet member 3 wherein the aperture is filled by a cathode-ray tube having a funnel portion 5. A plurality of support members 7 are circumferentially spaced about and affixed to the apertured cabinet member 3.

A wire strand 9 has a pair of end loops, 11 and I3 respectively, formed at opposite ends thereof and an adjustable bolt member 15 interconnects the end loops I1 and 13; The wire strand 9 is formed to engage the support members 7 and upon adjustment of the bolt member 15 exerts a pressure on the funnel portion 5 of the cathode-ray tube. V Also, a conductivecoating 17 is afi'ixed to the funnel por' tion 5 of the cathode-ray tube whereupon pressure engagement of the wire strand 9 therewith provides electrical connection therebetween. Moreover, means, such as a ground clip 10, are provided for coupling the electrically coupled conductive coating and wire strand 9 tea potential reference level such as circuit ground. 7

Referring to the embodiment of FIG. 2, an apertured cabinet member 19 has a plurality of circumferentially spaced support members 21 afiixed thereto. Also, a cathode-ray tube has a funnel portion 23 with a conductive coating 25 disposed on the exterior surface thereof. I v

A wire strand 27 is formed into a loop by entwining the end portions 29 and 31 thereof. At least one support member 33 is formed to receive an engagement means 35, which may be in the form of an adjustable screw for example.

The wire strand 27 engages the support members 21 and the engagement means 35 contacts the entwined end portions 29 and 31 of the wire strand 27 and the one support member 33. Upon adjustment of the engagement means 35, the wire strand 27 and the support members 21 and 33 have pressure exerted therebetween. Also, pressure engagement between the wire strand 27'and the conductive coating 25 on the funnel 23 of the cathode-ray tube is achieved. Moreover, a ground clip'26 permits electrical coupling of the wire strand 27 to circuit ground.

As can readily be seen, entwinement of the end portions 29 and 31 of the wire strand 27 is much less expensive and more easily achieved than the prior art form of end loops Hand 13 illustrated in FIG. 1. Also, the elimination of the formed end loops 1] and'l3 permitting a reduced wire size, from about one-eighth inch to one-sixteenth inch diameter, greatly reduces the cost of the apparatus as well as the pressure required to obtain the desired pressure engagement.

Further, the simple engagement means 35 greatly reduces the time and labor required to achieve the above-mentioned pressure engagement between the wire strand 27 and the funnel 23 of the cathode ray tube. Moreover, all of the advantages of the prior art apparatus as well as an improved structure at reduced cost are achieved by the above-men tioned cathode-ray tube support means.

While there has been shown and described what is at present considered the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without department from the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Weclaim:

. 'I. In a television receiverincluding an apertured cabinet support members disposed in the vicinity of the corners of said rectangular-shaped cathode-ray tube and affixed to said cabinet;

wire strand means having end portions engaged with one another to provide a wire loop, said loop surrounding said funnel portion of said cathode-ray tube and contacting said electrically conductive layer and in engagement with a plurality ofsaid support members; and 

1. In a television receiver including an apertured cabinet and a substantially rectangular-shaped cathode-ray tube having a screen portion contacting the apertured cabinet and funnel and neck portions extending rearwardly of the screen portion with an electrically conductive layer affixed to the funnel portion, cathode-ray tube support means comprising in combination: support members disposed in the vicinity of the corners of said rectangular-shaped cathode-ray tube and affixed to said cabinet; wire strand means having end portions engaged with one another to provide a wire loop, said loop surrounding said funnel portion of said cathode-ray tube and contacting said electrically conductive layer and in engagement with a plurality of said support members; and engagement means in the form of an adjustable screw contacting said engaged end portions of said wire loop and formed for adjustable engagement with one of said support members, said means formed to adjustably draw said wire loop into pressure engagement with said funnel portion of said cathode-ray tube whereby said screen portion of said CRT is held in fixed engagement with said cabinet. 